As spring begins to draw to an end, summer begins to unfurl its grasp on the New Forest. Catch the end of the carpets of blue and purple as the bluebell woods begin to finish and absorb the vibrant greens from the freshly opened leaves from the forest’s canopy.
With two bank holiday weekends and the summer half term holiday, there’s plenty of time for May adventures in our beautiful landscape, here are some of the highlights…
Get your gardening groove on
With milder weather, May makes a great time for your garden. Seek inspiration by exploring some of the New Forest’s own gardens.
Exbury Gardens will become a riot of colour as the azaleas and rhododendrons begin to bloom. In fact, on 8 May, anyone particularly keen on finding out more about these colourful blooms can book onto a seasonal spotlight tour (limited places, pre-booking advised).
Hear from gardening experts, browse for new plants for your garden and take in the stunning grounds of Beaulieu at the return of the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair (1-3 May). Get planting ideas, indulge in treats at the Good Food Market and bring some of your gardening ideas to life. Added to this, your ticket includes entry to Beaulieu.
Image - Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway
Spend time in the great outdoors
May makes a great time of year to get your walking boots on and take in some of the wildlife walks on offer in the New Forest. Follow one of our trusted routes and spot some of the New Forest’s iconic wildlife along the way including New Forest Ponies with their foals, donkeys, deer and cattle. Always follow the New Forest Code and keep your distance from free-roaming animals.
May also sees the arrival of some of our rarer species such as the illusive nightjar. Listen out for its distinctive churring and learn more about this fascinating bird on a guided Nightjar discovery walk with Wild New Forest Guided Tours on 21 May.
Soak up the views from some of the New Forest’s beauty spots. From clifftop scenes at Milford-on-Sea to iconic New Forest heathland views from Bolton’s Bench in Lyndhurst.
Image - Bolton's Bench, Lyndhurst
Delve into the New Forest’s past
Come along and find out about some of the history and traditions of the New Forest.
On Sundays in May, the Friends of the New Forest Airfields Heritage Centre at Bransgore will be opening their doors to visitors for some brilliant open days. The centre is the only museum dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the twelve airfields that were operational in the New Forest and the 25,000 brave service men and women and 10,000 civilians who operated them.
On 9-10 May, Breamore House will be opening up its grounds for the return of the Breamore Steam Working Weekend. Come along and enjoy the sights and sounds of yesteryear with displays of traction engines, classic cars and tractors. Plus, new for this year, will be the Steam At Work area, where you can see how farmyard industry was undertaken in the past.
Find out more about some of the legends and ghoulish presences on a ghost walk this month. Haunted New Forest are running various ghost walks throughout the month. Hear stories about the ghosts of Lymington, Ringwood, Burley, Ringwood and Romsey on selected dates across May.
Image - Friends of the New Forest Airfields
Enjoy some unique foodie experiences
Kick start your May with a stay at Bartley Lodge Hotel for their Feast of the Faithful event. An unforgettable evening where mystery meets fine dining. Feast of the Faithful is an immersive Traitors-themed experience that brings strategy, deception, and drama to life as you enjoy exceptional hospitality at this New Forest hotel.
On 8 May, join Careys Manor for From Field to Fork: A New Forest Food & Wine Experience, a special seasonal dining experience showcasing a four-course menu created using locally sourced ingredients from New Forest Fruit Company and wine pairings from Beaulieu-based B58 Winery.
Image - Careys Manor Hotel
Give your four-legged friend the best day out at Dogstival
Dogstival is set to return to Burley Park for two days of doggy fun on 30-31 May. Explore the doggy beach, let your pooch take part in a dog foam party or delve into a splash pool. With many a treat to be found, this makes a great day out for all the family with live music, shopping and food and drink too.
Image - Dogstival
Find out more about what’s on this May
Don’t miss out on any of the action, sign up to our weekly newsletter to receive updates about what’s happening across the forest. From family-friendly events for half term to live music, pop-up events and much more.
